SPECIAL REPORT
School Bus Wi-Fi in Flux?
Legal battle could impact the long-term health of E-Rate that helps fund internet connectivity for students traveling to and from school Written by Mark Rowh
T
he government giveth, and the government ta- keth away? That may be the case for the future of school-bus Wi-Fi, which currently is eligible for E-Rate discount under the Federal Commu-
nication Commission’s Universal Services Fund. Whether that will continue is now uncertain due to court cases challenging the validity of the USF fund- ing model. In late March, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on an appeal of a 5th Circuit decision that the Universal Service Fund’s revenue mechanism represents an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority. The nation’s highest court is expected to rule by next month on whether that decision should be upheld.
20 School Transportation News • MAY 2025
If the circuit court ruling is upheld, it would be a blow
not only to school-bus-based Wi-Fi but also to other services supported by USF, especially E-Rate. The pro- gram provides discounts of 20 to 90 percent on the costs of internet connectivity for schools and libraries, low-in- come consumers and those in rural areas needing online access to health care providers. The FCC, which oversees USF, added school bus Wi-Fi to E-Rate in late 2023, with discounts awarded for the current school year.
Recent Movement Looking specifically at school bus Wi-Fi, the opportu- nity to obtain federal support has been a relatively recent
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